Nonprofit Event Recap Videos: How to Make Them Work

Braden Beck
Aug 18
2 min read

Updated: Aug 20

Most nonprofits waste money on event recap videos.

They look great, they get applause in the comments… and then nothing happens. No new donors, no follow-up momentum, no ROI.

That’s the problem I want to solve today: how to make your event recaps work harder for you.

1. Start with the Story

Pretty shots mean nothing if they don’t tie into a bigger story.

Ask: “What’s this event for?” to uncover the “why does this exist?”
The story is usually baked into that why: maybe you’re honoring a founder, maybe you’re fighting an injustice, maybe you’re rallying people around a problem that needs solving.

People don’t connect with surface-level movements. They connect with stories that resonate.

2. Know Your Audience

Not every recap is meant for the public.

If it’s a staff conference, show it in the room, add some testimonials, and email attendees afterward.
If it’s an outreach fundraiser, that’s where you go public—social, website, personal follow-ups.

When you send an internal recap to outsiders, it can look like bragging. But when you keep it focused on the right audience, it builds trust instead of confusion.

3. Distribute Intentionally

Social media isn’t the only distribution channel—it’s just the easiest one.

But easy isn’t effective.

For most nonprofits, email is still your workhorse.

You already have a list. Use it.

Pair that with in-room playback, volunteer groups, even personal touchpoints for major donors.

Think about it from their shoes: Where am I most likely to watch and respond? That’s where your recap should go first.

4. How to Repurpose Nonprofit Event Recap Videos

Don’t let your recap die after one post. One event can fuel months of marketing:

Turn your recap into a text/email link to attendees.
Slice 15-second social highlights.
Add b-roll to your website header.
Use photos in your annual report.
Drop clips into board updates.

If you’re not pulling at least 3–5 usable assets from a recap, you left value on the table.

5. Package the Deliverables

Here’s the baseline I recommend (and what we deliver):

60-second recap video – short enough to keep attention, long enough to tell a complete story.
3× 15-second highlights – designed for social snippets.
40 curated photos – not 500 raw files. Just the best, ready-to-use images.